Popular South African comedian, Hip Hop hype man, and prankster, Mongezi “Tol A$$ Mo” Mahlangu got candid about how a rape allegation shared on social media derailed his life.
In 2020, South Africa came to a standstill when model and actress Lerato Moloi alleged on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she had been raped by the comedian in 2014.
Though Mongezi was acquitted of all charges on August 16 2022, he said he was still living through the mental impact the incident had on his life even though he has “forgiven” his accuser.
Lerato has remained mum on the matter. Attempts by the publication to get a comment from her were unsuccessful at the time of publishing. The article will be updated if a comment is received.
During a sit-down with Thembekile Mrototo on episode 3 of Showmax’s Unfollowed, Mongezi reflected on how his life changed in 72 hours.“When this tweet happened, my whole world changed in less than 72 hours… My whole life was in front of the camera. They know me for who I am. Never have I been in the tabloids like, ‘Mo’s cheating on his wife.’ Never!
“But now the first thing that compromises my integrity, I’m that! I’m a rapist! That’s the example that I’ve been living but it’s not good enough. What do you guys want? Do you want a divorce special?” he said.
Mongezi went on to talk about how the public’s response to the allegations affected him.
“I was admitted to a mental asylum in Glenwood. I lost my mind. I was given shots of morphine and strapped with a body strap to calm me down because I had [thought] my world ended. I didn’t know what the hell was going on…
“I was attacked by feminists left, right, and centre. Feminists who still can’t apologize to me today. I’ve got post-traumatic stress from being in a room with too many women. I get nervous. I sweat. I feel like I’m gonna be attacked.”
Mongezi’s estranged wife, Mome, who supported the comedian despite the allegations, previously told the publication how she decided to admit him to a psychiatric hospital with the hopes that he’d eventually be well, and prayed.
“It started at home and I thought, he’s just talking to himself. When it first happened I called my sister and told her I need to pray. We’d give him sleeping pills and he wouldn’t sleep,” she said.
“I was the one who took my husband to a psychiatric hospital in November last year thinking that he was going crazy. He slept there for two weeks and I’d wonder what was going on … the two weeks that he spent there I was praying with my sister. When he came out of there he was not OK.”
In August 2021, Mome revealed that though she and her family had attempted to shy away from Mongezi’s ancestral calling, it became more evident during his mental health struggles.
Mongezi said he has let go of the hatred he had for his accuser because of his spiritual calling.
“I’ve forgiven Lerato. I can never be inyanga or a prophet with a hardened heart.”
Source News365
